Chapter 15 The Apocalypse 14
The implication was practically that Lu Xuejin should strip naked for a physical examination on the spot. Even if an examination were necessary, it wouldn't warrant such a drastic measure. The surrounding team members exchanged glances. Although they all had a good impression of Lu Xuejin and couldn't bear to see him being harassed by the captain, they were all intimidated by the shepherd boy's formidable presence and dared not utter a sound.
Lu Xuejin, who was being stared at intently, was like a young rabbit pinned to the ground by the giant claws of a beast. Her body stiffened and she stood frozen in place. She slowly turned around, her eyes flashing pitifully and helplessly.
Even though he knew it was all Lu Xuejin's brilliant performance, Luo Mingchuan's heart was still inevitably stirred, and his hatred for the shepherd boy soared to the extreme, almost turning into a real murderous intent.
The shepherd boy naturally sensed that chilling malice. But he paid no attention, his gaze still lingering unabashedly on Lu Xuejin, eyeing her menacingly.
"..." Lu Xuejin's lips trembled a few times, and her face grew paler and paler.
The shepherd boy seemed to have finally had enough fun and burst into laughter. "I was just trying to scare you. Look at you. I told you, we're good people."
“Even if you have wounds, you little brat can only transform into the lowest level of zombie,” he threatened casually. “Then it will only take a moment to crush your head. So, behave yourself, understand?”
Lu Xuejin nodded obediently and turned to get into the car.
"Wait," the shepherd boy said, pointing a finger through the air with an unquestionable command, "Come here with me."
"..." Upon hearing this, Lu Xuejin lowered her head and obediently got into the shepherd boy's cart.
Once the car door is closed, it blocks out the outside view and hides everything inside the car. From the outside, you can only see the dark-tinted windows, and you can't even catch a glimpse of anything inside.
Luo Mingchuan's face tightened instantly. Yun Hongli felt a little embarrassed. While cursing the shepherd boy for always causing trouble, she comforted him, "Don't worry, your brother will be fine. The captain... he just has a rather eccentric personality, but he's really not a bad person."
It wasn't a bad person using that malicious tone to ask someone to get on the bus.
Yun Hongli herself felt guilty about what she said.
When order collapses, beauty becomes a resource.
Yun Hongli didn't believe that Mu Tong had no interest in Lu Xuejin, but she didn't think he would have such dirty and vulgar thoughts—Mu Tong had always utterly despised physical intimacy. Someone had misjudged his intentions and invited him to a wild party; the outcome was predictable. If she hadn't arrived in time, he would have crippled everyone at the party!
That brat only cares about his own happiness and leaves her with a lot of messes. If I hadn't practically watched him grow up, I would have punched him in the face!
"Is that so?" Luo Mingchuan gave a sarcastic smile.
Inside the car, the shepherd boy looked at Lu Xuejin with a relaxed expression.
“You’re so far away from me,” the shepherd boy glanced at the distance between them, a slight smile playing on his lips, but no mirth in his eyes. “I’d think you’re plotting something in secret.”
Lu Xuejin kept her head down, like a frightened quail, and cautiously moved over little by little, finally stopping a fist's distance away from him.
The shepherd boy was a severe germaphobe, and the car was always spotless, without the leather smell of ordinary vehicles. He had a sensitive sense of smell, and even the faintest perfume smelled pungent to him, so he never used air fresheners. Therefore, the scent of Lu Xuejin's shower gel immediately and distinctly entered his nostrils when she got close.
It has a mild flavor with a slightly astringent aroma; it's not strong or pungent.
The shepherd boy frowned slightly. In the past, he would have thrown the person off the car long ago. But the smell that he should have found disgusting lingered on Lu Xuejin, and strangely, it did not cause him any annoyance or disgust, except for making his heart beat slightly faster.
The cold, scrutinizing gaze swept over the young man before slowly withdrawing. The shepherd boy sat up straight, leaned back against the car seat, and closed his eyes to rest.
This suddenly appearing surviving citizen seems to possess a strange magic that makes it hard to dislike him.
The members of the hunting team were all elites, selected from among the best. Apart from Yun Hongli, who was relatively normal, the rest were all eccentric and wary. Normally, they would at most maintain superficial politeness towards strangers, and should not have acted like they did tonight, just glancing at Lu Xuejin a few times and even unconsciously loosening their grip on the gun.
Even he himself inexplicably felt that Lu Xuejin posed no threat, and subconsciously indulged his mischievous urge to play pranks.
Even if the other person is indeed outstanding in appearance and pure in temperament, it shouldn't go to this extent.
It's probably a mental ability.
The shepherd boy pondered to himself. If he develops it carefully, it might be of great use in the future.
As dusk settled, all was silent. Through the heavy bulletproof vehicle, nothing could be heard except for the faint howls of zombies coming from afar.
Time passed by, but the shepherd boy was wide awake.
He was used to these long nights. He always had trouble falling asleep when someone was around. Fortunately, one advantage of evolving into a superhuman was that he no longer needed seven or eight hours of sleep like ordinary people; a short nap with his eyes closed was enough to restore his energy.
"...Captain Mu." The person beside him finally stirred, the soft rustling of clothes making a soft sound. The shepherd boy could clearly sense that he was holding his breath, his gaze shifting timidly towards him, hesitant to look down, as if afraid of waking him. Unsure if he was asleep, he remained silent for a moment before cautiously opening his mouth to inquire, "Captain Mu?"
The shepherd boy suddenly opened his eyelids and glanced sideways at Lu Xuejin.
Stung by his sharp gaze, Lu Xuejin shrank back in panic, only the back of the car blocking him from retreating to the other side of the carriage.
Her fingers curled into her sleeve, twitching slightly. Lu Xuejin mustered her courage and looked up—not daring to look into the shepherd boy's eyes, her gaze timidly landing on his high, straight nose.
"I want to ask, do survivors like us need to pay to enter the base?" He must have been gathering his courage for most of the night before finally asking. Although he was afraid of the shepherd boy, he had no choice but to ask this sharp-tongued and unpredictable man for help for the sake of his and his brother's future.
He looked so pitiful and endearing, bearing such a heavy burden of humiliation.
The shepherd boy scoffed, "You've been holding back sleep all this time just to ask this?"
But he still answered, "Nothing is needed. As long as you and that kid don't have any wounds left by zombies, you can go in. Cangqiong is desperately short of people; they'll take in anything that's rotten or stinky."
Seeing Lu Xuejin breathe a sigh of relief, the wicked side of Mu Tong resurfaced. He smiled, revealing two sharp canine teeth, and said with a playful tone, "Going in is easy, but surviving is not. The base has long since stopped using money and switched to a points-based trading system. To earn points, you either exchange them for crystal cores at the exchange or work for the base, and those positions have very high requirements."
Lu Xuejin's joy came to an abrupt halt, and the more he spoke, the dimmer his expression became, yet the more excited he grew.
“Things are different now than before. Ordinary jobs have long been phased out. As for the remaining jobs—” He paused abruptly, his gaze sweeping meaningfully over Lu Xuejin’s slender frame, “I’m afraid you can’t do them.”
Weak, timid, and easily defeated.
Although there was a suspicion of deliberate exaggeration to scare people, the shepherd boy genuinely believed it.
The apocalypse changed everything; resources became scarce. However, human evolution did not lead to an increase in morality and self-discipline. Instead, the sudden acquisition of power caused long-suppressed desires to pour out without restraint.
People—especially those with outstanding appearances—are the scarcest and most easily contested resource. Given Lu Xuejin's looks, even if she were lucky enough to land an easy job like tending crops in a greenhouse, she would quickly be targeted by malicious individuals and face all sorts of difficulties. She would either grit her teeth and endure it, or submit to the powerful figures manipulating things behind the scenes.
Unless he has another powerful superhuman to rely on, or he himself possesses superpowers.
Lu Xuejin's face turned pale instantly, clearly having also considered this possibility.
Wolves and tigers will quickly spot this pure white lamb, secretly coveting it, watching it with predatory eyes, even making their desires open. Without needing to say a word, some will eagerly push him into their dens to curry favor. How will he survive, leaping and bounding in this dark prison?
Suddenly, the shepherd boy lost interest and closed his eyes to rest.
The carriage was dimly lit. The person next to him remained stiff for a long while before slowly sitting up straight. His slender, snow-white neck leaned weakly against the back of the carriage, staring at the ceiling, seemingly lost in thought.
"Baby, he's scaring you!" Dong Yao jumped onto Lu Xuejin's lap, huffing and puffing. "The Sky Base has a national backing, that's why it's not that scary, and Luo Mingchuan will protect you."
Compared to the annoying shepherd boy, even the male protagonist, whom it had always looked down upon, seemed much more pleasing to the eye.
Lu Xuejin propped herself up with her hand, casually stroking the robot's cold head like petting a cat. Her eyelashes drooped, a dark red light flashed in her eyes, and she said in a nonchalant tone, "I know."
The next day, he began trying to subtly probe other team members.
Before they could even get started, Lu Xuejin was killed. She had just grabbed a resting team member and hadn't even exchanged two words when the shepherd boy, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, turned around instantly and grabbed Lu Xuejin by the back of her collar. "What are you talking about?"
"You and your brother are still suspects, especially you. You're not allowed to speak to them." This order was too domineering! But when his cold gaze swept over the others, everyone in his line of sight straightened up, eyes downcast, not daring to utter a single dissent. The shepherd boy's gaze returned to Lu Xuejin's face, which was filled with helplessness. "I'm afraid if you say a few words to them, they'll be swayed by you and turn against me."
How is that possible?
The team members were both speechless and amused, exchanging glances and reaching a consensus: the captain was acting crazy again.
The poor, handsome young man was completely bullied by the captain. To anyone who looked at him, he was a pitiful little thing who had endured humiliation and made concessions.
"From now on, you must stay close to me and not leave my side for a moment." The shepherd boy released his hand, patted Lu Xuejin's shoulder, and said, "Let's go."
Lu Xuejin's reply was weak and pitiful, "...I understand."
His eyebrows were lowered, and a layer of melancholy veiled his fair profile. He followed closely behind the shepherd boy, like a wronged young wife.
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